One of the interesting things I’ve noticed since becoming a father – more specifically, a father to a son – is that my perception of all things “dad” related has changed. Before Logan was conceived, I looked at stories and images of fatherhood in an “Oh, that’s nice” sort of way. After we knew Logan was on his way, and especially after he was born, I’ve found my perception of fatherhood to be radically altered. “No duh!” some of you might be thinking – but, honestly, until you’re a father to a son yourself, it’s not something you can comprehend. I know I couldn’t. Not having a daughter, I can’t make a comparison, but I’m sure it’s a similar sort of thing. I find myself looking at TV commercials, movies, books, magazine ads, etc. that depict fatherhood and feeling impacted by them in a big way. I really wasn’t prepared for the way my perceptions would be changed, but I’m so very grateful for the new thoughts and feelings that come with this new role in my life. Being a father to my son is something I look forward to with great anticipation, with all the ups and downs that come with it.
This particular issue has been on my heart lately, but was catalyzed today by the passing of my friends son who was born via c-section today at six months of development. He didn’t survive, and my heart breaks for my friend and his wife.
I’m sorry to hear about your friend’s son.
I know exactly what you’re talking about here – I know I’d walk through fire for my daughter. Believe it or not, the emotional impact gets even bigger with time.
That’s so sad about your friend and his wife. My heart goes out to them.
I, too, know exactly how you feel. When my sons arrived, I started to feel completely different about the world about me and how I perceived things I encountered. It became much more of a concern about how it would affect them — trying to feel it through their eyes. Much less about me and more about them. Especially when they are young, we want them to have a safe, happy, comfortable world. Time enough when they get older to experience the pain, deception, and greed of real life.
My sons are both in their teens now, and I still want to make the world and their life as full and exciting and encompassing as many new experiences as I can give them. I realize now that they have to take more control of their own destinies, but still want to help them avoid as much of the pain as I can. I can’t prevent it all, and part of it is growth. I just hope I can be there for them when they need me.